Publications

Books

Rebecca L Nelson, Regulating A Thousand Cuts: Global Law and Policy Solutions to Cumulative Environmental Problems (Cambridge University Press, 2025) 382pp, available in Hardback or open access.
Alex Gardner, Richard Bartlett, Janice Gray, and Rebecca Nelson, Water Resources Law (2^nd ed, LexisNexis Australia, 2017) 713pp.

Book chapters

Rebecca Nelson, “Victims and Villains: Cities and the Environment on the Constitutional Stage” in Erika Arban (ed.), Cities in Federal Constitutional Theory (Oxford University Press, 2022) 161-179.
Rebecca Nelson, “Allocations and Legal Trends in the 21^st Century” in Josselin Rouillard, Christina Babbitt, Ed Challies, and Jean-Daniel Rinaudo (eds.), Water Resources Allocation and Agriculture: Transitioning from Open to Regulated Access (IWA Publishing, 2022) 25-36, https://doi.org/10.2166/9781789062786.
Ayodele Olagunju, Divine Appiah, Paulina Maria Porto Silva Cavalcanti, Bridget Durning, Juan Carlos Tejeda González, Jason MacLean, Richard Morgan, and Rebecca Nelson, “Cumulative effects assessment requirements in selected developed and developing countries” in Jill A.E. Blakley and Daniel M. Franks (eds.), Handbook of Cumulative Impact Assessment (Edward Elgar, 2021) 21-42, https://doi.org/10.4337/9781783474028.00012.
Rebecca Nelson, “Challenges to Improved Integrated Management of the Murray-Darling Basin” in Barry Hart, Nick Bond, Neil Byron, Carmel Pollino and Mike Stewardson (eds), The Murray-Darling River System: Its Future Management from Catchment to Coast (Elsevier, 2021) 339-362.
Steve Barnett, Craig T. Simmons and Rebecca Nelson, “Groundwater Resources in Australia – Their Occurrence, Management and Future Challenges” in Abhijit Mukherjee et al. (eds), Global Groundwater: Source, Scarcity, Sustainability, Security and Solutions (Elsevier, 2020) 35-46.
Rebecca Nelson, Steve Barnett and Ann Kollmorgen, “The Evolution of Groundwater Management Policy in the States of Australia” in Jean-Daniel Rinaudo, Cameron Holley, Marielle Montginoul and Steve Barnett (eds), Sustainable Groundwater Management: A Comparative Analysis of French and Australian Policies and Implications to Other Countries (Springer, 2020) 129-141, DOI 10.1007/978-3-030-32766-8.
Rebecca Nelson, “Regulating Cumulative Impacts in Groundwater Systems: Global Lessons from Australian Experience”, in Cameron Holley and Darren Sinclair (eds), Reforming Water Law and Governance: From Stagnation to Innovation in Australia (Springer, 2018) 237-256.
Rebecca Nelson and Meg Casey, “Beyond the Traditional Governance of Trans-jurisdictional Groundwater: Unconventional Approaches to Cross-Boundary Aquifer Management in the United States” in Janice Gray, Cameron Holley and Rosemary Rayfuse (eds), Trans-jurisdictional Water Law and Governance (Routledge/Earthscan, 2016) 138-156.
Rebecca Nelson and Philippe Quevauviller, “Groundwater Law” in Tony Jakeman, Olivier Barreteau, Randall Hunt, Jean-Daniel Rinaudo and Andrew Ross (eds), Integrated Groundwater Management: Concepts, Approaches and Challenges (Springer, 2016) 173-196.
Rebecca Nelson, Heather Bischel, Barton Thompson, and Richard Luthy, “Water Law in the Urban Context: Interactions and Innovations” in Katherine Daniell et al (eds), Understanding and Managing Urban Water in Transition (Springer, 2015) 463-488.
Rebecca Nelson, “Groundwater: Hidden Promise, Hidden Perils” in Crisis and Opportunity: Lessons of Australian Water Reform, Australia Water Project, Vol 1 (Committee for Economic Development of Australia and Uniwater, 2012) 1-12.
Rebecca Nelson, “Unconventional Gas and Produced Water” in Australia’s Unconventional Energy Options (Committee for Economic Development of Australia, 2012) 27-40.

Refereed journal articles

RL Nelson & D Perrone, “Environmental Groundwater Rights in the Western United States and Australia” (2025) 28 Journal of Water Law 190-194.
AE Cravens, JB Goolsby, T Jedd, DJ Bathke, S Crausbay, AE Cooper, J Dunham, T Haigh, KR Hall, MJ Hayes, J McEvoy, RL Nelson, M Poděbradská, A Ramirez, E Wickham, D Zoanni, “The Patchwork Governance of Ecologically Available Water: A Case Study in the Upper Missouri Headwaters, Montana, USA” (2023) Journal of the American Water Resources Association art# JAWR-22-0074-P,1-21 & 20p supp, DOI:10.1111/1752-1688.13167.
D Perrone, M Rohde, C Hammond-Wagner, R Anderson, S Arthur, N Atume, M Brown, L Esaki-Kua, M Gonzalez, K Garvey, K Heidel, W Jones, SK Asl, C Munill, R Nelson, J Ortiz-Partida & EJ Remson, “Stakeholder Integration Predicts Better Outcomes from Groundwater Sustainability Policy” (2023) 14 Nature Communications art#3793, 1-14 & 196p supp, DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-39363-y
B Lindsay, D Marsh & R Nelson, “Conceptualising and Activating Knowledge in Environmental Protection Law” (2023) 46(2) Melbourne University Law Review 422-466.
Rebecca Nelson and L.M. Shirley, ‘The Latent Potential of Cumulative Effects Concepts in National and International Environmental Impact Assessment Regimes’ (2023) Transnational Environmental Law, DOI:10.1017/S2047102522000243.
Peter G Cook, Margaret Shanafield, Martin Anderson, Sarah Bourke, Ian Cartwright, Jamie Cleverly, Matthew Currell, Tanya M Doody, Harald Hofmann, Rui Hugmann, Dylan J Irvine, Anthony Jakeman, Jennifer McKay, Rebecca Nelson, Adrian D Werner, ‘Sustainable Management of Groundwater Extraction: An Australian Perspective on Current Challenges’ (2022) 44 Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies 101262. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrh.2022.101262
Andrew Ross, Ray Evans and Rebecca Nelson, ‘Risks Related to Groundwater in the Murray-Darling Basin’ (2022) Australasian Journal of Water Resources DOI:10.1080/13241583.2022.2140904
Rebecca Nelson, “Water Rights for Groundwater Environments as an Enabling Condition for Adaptive Water Governance” (2022) 27(2) Ecology and Society 28 (22pp), DOI:10.5751/ES-13123-270228.
Stephen Kearney, Josie Carwardine, April Reside, Vanessa Adams, Rebecca Nelson, Anthea Coggan, Rebecca Spindler, James Watson “Saving Species Beyond the Protected Area Fence: Threats Must Be Managed across Multiple Land Tenure Types to Secure Australia’s Endangered Species” (2022) 4(3) Conservation Science and Practice e617, DOI:10.1111/csp2.617.
Rebecca Nelson, “Regulating Hidden Risks to Conservation Lands in Resource Rich Areas” (2021) 43(2) University of Queensland Law Journal 491-530. DOI: https://doi.org/10.38127/uqlj.v40i3.6217.
Nicola Ulibarri, Nataly Escobedo Garcia, Rebecca L. Nelson, Amanda E. Cravens and Ryan J. McCarty, “Assessing the Feasibility of Managed Aquifer Recharge in California” (2021) 57(3) Water Resources Research, e2020WR029292, DOI:10.1029/2020WR029292.
Rebecca Nelson, “Sick City Streams: New Approaches to Legal Treatments” (2019) 43(2) Melbourne University Law Review 748-821.
Rebecca Nelson, “Breaking Backs and Boiling Frogs: Warnings from a Dialogue between Federal Water Law and Environmental Law” (2019) 42(4) University of New South Wales Law Journal 1179-1214.
Rebecca Nelson, “Big Time: An Empirical Analysis of Regulating the Cumulative Environmental Effects of Coal Seam Gas Extraction under Australian Federal Environmental Law” (2019) 36 Environmental and Planning Law Journal 531-551.
Wendy A Timms, Sudeep Nair and Rebecca Nelson, “More Joules Per Drop: How Much Water Does Unconventional Energy Use Compared to Other Sources, and What Are the Legal Implications?” (2019) 36 Environmental and Planning Law Journal 565-582.
Rebecca Nelson, “Water Data and the Legitimacy Deficit: A Regulatory Review and Nationwide Survey of Challenges Considering Cumulative Environmental Effects of Coal and Coal Seam Gas Developments” (2019) 23 Australasian Journal of Water Resources 24-34. DOI:10.1080/13241583.2019.1600393. [Access accepted manuscript, open access]

Philip Womble, Debra Perrone, Scott Jasechko, Rebecca L Nelson, Leon F Szeptycki, Robert T Anderson and Steven M Gorelick, “Indigenous Communities, Groundwater Opportunities” (August 2018) Science 453-455 (with 11 page supplement), DOI: 10.1126/science.aat6041.
Sarah Lunny, Rebecca Nelson and Anne Steinemann, “Something in the Air but Not on the Label: A Call for Increased Regulatory Ingredient Disclosure for Fragranced Consumer Products” (2017) 40(4) University of New South Wales Law Journal 1366-1391.
Rebecca Nelson and Debra Perrone, “Local Groundwater Withdrawal Permitting Laws in the South-Western U.S.: California in Comparative Context” (2016) 54(5) Groundwater 747-753, DOI: 10.1111/gwat.12469.
Accompanying products: see the 4-page summary research brief here; and an interactive online dashboard illustrating key findings.
Rebecca Nelson and Debra Perrone, “The Role of Permitting Regimes in Western United States Groundwater Management” (2016) 54(5) Groundwater 761-764, DOI: 10.1111/gwat.12467.
Rebecca Nelson, “Broadening Regulatory Concepts and Responses to Cumulative Impacts: Considering the Trajectory and Future of Groundwater Law and Policy” (2016) 33(4) Environmental and Planning Law Journal 356-371.
Meenakshi Arora, Hector Malano, Brian Davidson, Rebecca Nelson and Biju George, “Interactions between Centralized and Decentralized Water Systems in the Urban Context: A Review”, WIREs (Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews) Water (2015) doi: 10.1002/wat2.1099.
Rebecca Nelson, “Assessing Local Planning to Control Groundwater Depletion: California as a Microcosm of Global Issues” (2012) 48(1) Water Resources Research W01502.
Rebecca Nelson, “Regulating Nonpoint Source Pollution in the US: A Regulatory Theory Approach to Lessons and Research Paths for Australia” (2011) 35(2) University of Western Australia Law Review 340-384.
Rebecca Nelson, “Water Pollution in China: How Can Business Influence for Good?” (2008) 7 Asian Business and Management 489-509.
Rebecca Nelson, “Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems in Law: Troubled Waters?” (2007) 10 Asia Pacific Journal of Environmental Law 99-130.
Rebecca Nelson and Bethany Sharman, “Not Just Tilting at Windmills: A Bird’s Eye View of Bio-Offsets under the EPBC Act” (2007) 24 Environmental and Planning Law Journal 17-34.
Rebecca Nelson, “Regulating Grassland Degradation in China: Shallow-Rooted Laws?” (2006) 7 Asian-Pacific Law and Policy Journal 385-417.
Lee Godden, Rebecca Nelson, and Jacqueline Peel, “Controlling Invasive Species: Managing Risks to Australia’s Agricultural Sustainability and Biodiversity Protection” (2006) 13 Australasian Journal of Environmental Management 166-184.
Rebecca Nelson, “Legislation for ICM: Advancing Water Resources Sustainability?” (2005) 22 Environmental and Planning Law Journal 90-123.
Jacqueline Peel, Rebecca Nelson, and Lee Godden, “GMO Trade Wars: The Submissions in the US-EC Biotech Dispute in the WTO” (2005) 6 Melbourne Journal of International Law 141-166.

Other journal publications

AR Siders, N Ulibarri, AE Cravens & RL Nelson, “How to Slay Zombie Research Projects and Move On” (8 Dec 2023) Nature.
B Hart, R Nelson & R Marsh, Editorial, (2023) 27(3) Aust J of Water Resour 205-210.
AE Cravens, RL Nelson, AR Siders & N Ulibarri, “Why Four Scientists Spent a Year Saying No” (25 Aug 2022) Nature (Career Column).
A. R. Siders, Cassandra M. Brooks, Amanda E. Cravens, Rebecca L. Nelson, Dan R. Reineman and Nicola Ulibarri, “How to beat isolation? Academic Feedback Groups Fit the Bill, and Promote Growth as Scholars and Humans” (2020) 582 Nature 597-8.
Erin O’Donnell and Rebecca Nelson, ‘Shield Science for Robust Decisions’ (2020) Nature Sustainability https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0541-6
Emma Carmody, Barbara Cosens, Alex Gardner, Lee Godden, Janice Gray, Cameron Holley, Louise Lee, Bruce Lindsay, Liz Macpherson, Rebecca Nelson, Erin O’Donnell, Lily O’Neill, Kate Owens and Darren Sinclair, “The Future of Water Reform in Australia—Starting a Conversation” (2016) 31(4) Australian Environment Review 132-138.
Rebecca Nelson, “Paying Back the River: A First Analysis of Western Groundwater Offset Rules and Lessons for Other Natural Resources” (2015) 34 Stanford Environmental Law Journal 129-194.
Rebecca Nelson, “Groundwater, Rivers and Ecosystems: Comparative Insights into Law and Policy for Making the Links” (June 2013) Australian Environment Review 558-566.
Rebecca Nelson and Jane Ellis, “Mining and Groundwater” (2008) 27 Australian Resources and Energy Law Journal 172-177.

Working papers and conference papers

Rebecca Nelson, ‘The Sydney Catchments as a Socio-Ecological System in Law’ in Stephan Barthel et al, Emergent Landscapes: Exploring Social-Ecological Interdisciplinarity (Conference proceedings, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 2018) 35-37.
Rebecca Nelson, Business Water Forum: Forgotten Groundwater – Outcomes Report (United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, Mar 2015) 14pp.
Erin O’Donnell and Rebecca Nelson, Mainstreaming Environmental Water Law and Practice (Centre for Resources, Energy and Environmental Law, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, Oct 2013) 14pp.
Rebecca Nelson and Meg Casey, Taking Policy from Paper to the Pump: Lessons on Effective and Flexible Groundwater Policy and Management from the Western U.S. and Australia (Water in the West Working Paper, Stanford University, Sept 2013) 72pp.
Rebecca Nelson, “Instituting Integration: Findings of the Comparative Groundwater Law & Policy Program’s Workshop 1” (May 2012), Water in the West Working Paper 3 (Stanford) 53pp.
Rebecca Nelson, “Uncommon Innovation: Developments in Groundwater Management Planning in California” (Mar 2011) Water in the West Working Paper 1 (Stanford) 43pp.

Books

Book chapters

Refereed journal articles

Other journal publications

Working papers and conference papers

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